Former Live! Casino & Hotel Employee Admits to “Comps” Scheme

Two former employees of Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland were charged with misusing complimentary perks intended for customers to secure large winnings. One of the former employees, Sonejah Richards, 27, of Forestville, has pleaded guilty to his role in the $27,000 scheme at the Hanover casino.

Richards Admits to Conducting the Casino Scheme

Richards received probation before judgment after pleading guilty to two counts of theft, ranging from $100 to $1,500. This means the court postponed entering a formal conviction while he serves probation. According to court records, he was sentenced to two years of supervised probation and must pay $9,848 in restitution to the casino and hotel by October 7, 2027. 

Once the full restitution is paid, his probation will shift from supervised to unsupervised. As part of a plea agreement, additional theft and identity fraud charges against Richards were not prosecuted.

How the Scheme Worked

Richards’ admission marks the next chapter in a case that’s been going on for several months now. He and another ex-employee by the name of Allen Hill of Washington, DC, were arrested in May this spring on suspicion of misappropriating over $27,000 from the Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland in Hanover.

The two men worked as live dealers and VIP hosts at the casino, roles that gave them the authority to distribute complimentary perks, such as coupons and rewards, to guests at their discretion. The intent of such perks is to encourage players to stay and continue gambling.

However, things took a turn when they allegedly began abusing that authority, assuming their actions would go unnoticed. According to reports, Richards and Hill started issuing comps and perks to fraudulent player accounts, particularly two specific ones, enabling them and their co-conspirators to divert casino funds.

The scheme involved repeatedly assigning comp points to the same individuals, who would then use free slot credits and cash out any resulting winnings. In February alone, Richards reportedly issued 30 fraudulent player reward cards, which cost the casino approximately $20,000. Hills carried out a similar scheme in March, allegedly loading 20 player reward cards himself, which led to losses of approximately $7,300 for the casino.

In other recent Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland-related crime news, Anne Arundel County police arrested a man from Upper Marlboro after discovering his SUV outside Arundel Mills filled with firearms, stolen handguns, ammunition, and body armor.